If Only
by Sagecycle
Summary: Maybe if it weren't for him, everything in his life wouldn't be as screwed up as it already is. Maybe people would be happy instead of scared or disgusted around him. Maybe he wouldn't have become the hero Shigaraki didn't know he needed.
1. Chapter 1

Izuku could remember a time when life was simple, easy. A time before a quirk is what defines your social status. A time when he had friends and people he could lean on for support. He also remembers a time when his mom was happy, smiling throughout all the hardships they had to suffer with his dad long gone.

Those times have passed. Gone were the hugs and warm greetings he got every afternoon coming home from school. Gone was the trust he had in any of his friends and respect he held for teachers. Gone was his once brother by everything except blood. All that was left was a room full of broken promises and once loved hero propaganda. Torn and weathered posters hung from the wall, broken action figures lay in messy piles along the ground, most charred and caked in soot.

His bed that was quickly becoming too small was well worn, the sheets no longer present on top of the yellowed mattress. His clothes haphazardly stuffed in his closet, three years old by now and just a tad too snug on him. The same red shoes he's had for about as long, purchased two sizes too big so he'd have room to grow into. Not that his mother would care, she was too busy with work to really notice his tattered apparel and desperate need for an upgrade in pretty much everything he owned.

The only thing in the room that seemed well taken care of was a large bookshelf, stacked with journals and books on quirks and heros as well as well known villains. He took a glance at himself in a mirror that hug along the wall, the glass cracked and nearly falling out of its frame. He guesses he's lucky he has a mirror at all. The half starved kid staring back at him is unfamiliar in his own eyes. His once vibrant green hair hung in a near black tangled mess, his cheeks looked hollow and his eyes that once shined with a hope for the future now lacked that dazzling vigor that came with childhood.

The shirt he wore was ripped and the logo that was on the front is mostly peeled off, the ends of the hem coming undone and resting just at the line of his pants. The jeans he wore fit a bit better than the shirt, however it wasn't always so. He could remember the last time his mother took him clothes shopping, she had him try on pants that almost slipped down his waist and pooled at his ankles. The shirts she picked out for him hung halfway down his thigh. The whole look made him seem homeless, but his mother just nodded in approval and grabbed two or three of each item of clothing and made a beeline for the checkout registers.

His shoes came a little later after that. The familiar red high tops that rested down beside his bed still as bright as they were when he was younger. His mother had dragged him out of bed one morning, complaining about how he needed a pair of shoes that would last longer than a few months and promptly took him to a rather small store down the road. Without so much as checking his size, she grabbed a pair that was obviously a few sizes too big and took them to the counter, paying before she dragged him back out. He wasn't quite sure why he was needed for the trip if she wasn't going to get his measurements, but the last time he had questioned her he wasn't allowed to eat that night, he learned quickly not to anger his mother after that.

The sense of hunger became something he could easily recognize and for the most part, ignore. He had his fair share of sleepless nights, ones where his stomach kept him up with its constant aches and pains from not eating for a few days. He couldn't complain though, his mother always fed him on Wednesdays and Sundays if not any other. People in school didn't seem to realize what he was going through, instead they chose to ignore the pained looks sent their way when Izuku was the only child in school that wasn't given money for lunch or brought it from home.

Yes Izuku could remember a time when his quirk didn't immediately deem him a danger to society and therefore someone not worth the time of day. He supposes that's what he deserves however, for someone like himself. A worthless, villainous mistake that shouldn't have happened in the first place. Maybe if it weren't for him, his father and mother would still be happy together. Maybe Kacchan wouldn't be scared everyday when his evil "brother" walked into class. Maybe the teachers wouldn't freeze and shiver when his name was mentioned in passing conversations. Maybe his peers wouldn't mock him and call him names when he wasn't around to hear them. Maybe… just maybe he wouldn't hate himself each and every waking moment of his life.

The sound of his mother cursing down the hall from him roused him from his somewhat restless slumber. Slipping out of bed, he bent down to pick up a pair of pants from the ground, sniffing them when he brought them up to his nose. Shrugging from the light stench that came from them, he threw them on along with a shirt that was lying on the edge of his bed. Glancing in the mirror as he walked past to grab his notebook and a pencil, he stopped to look at his face. The shimmer of his skin made him frown. He had a day or two left before he could shower and wash his hair, so he guessed a quick rinse in the sink wouldn't hurt.

Shaking the water off of his face, he nodded in approval when his face seemed a lot less greasy and dirty. The downsides of being the entire school's punching bag made it impossible to keep himself clean between bathing days. The sound of the shower running made his eyes water, wishing he could just jump in and rinse his hair out. His scalp was driving him nuts and the weight from the caked in dirt and grime from the days prior was really affecting him. Scratching absentmindedly at the side of his head, he reached out to grab his water bottle off the counter, filling the bottle with sink water before he was off, heading to school.

A few people he passed seemed to recognize him and gave him a wide berth, as if he were a wild animal in a flimsy cage. Fighting back a frown, he ignored the whispers of other students as he got closer to the campus. Biting back a groan at the sight of one of the more courageous bullies, Izuku mentally prepared himself for the light smackdown he was sure to receive before class. He sighed, realizing he was bound to get another one right around lunchtime.

Stepping onto campus was something he really wasn't ready for, but he couldn't avoid class. That was the one thing the school seemed to care about when it came to him and his mother would be furious when he got home if the school called her while she was at work. Biting his lip, he squared his shoulders and strolled into his own hell with his head held high. Only to be knocked to the ground by a fist smashing into his cheek. Blood poured into his mouth from where his teeth cut the inside of his mouth and a little of his tongue. The sound of chuckles reached his ears and he fought back the tears that stung the corners of his eyes.

"Aww look at the freak, gonna cry over a little blood wussy boy?" A voice called out, and a hand buried itself in his hair, yanking his face up to meet black eyes.

Izuku couldn't put a name to the face, he was certain he knew who he was looking at, but the picture wouldn't match up with anything he was thinking of. He guesses it doesn't really matter, this would be over soon, when the kid realizes that Izuku wouldn't put up much of a fight and he calls him a wimp or a sissy. It doesn't change, not here. It never does.

Going through the day was easy for him, he could just block out where he was, twiddling his thumbs as he stared at nothing on his desk. The teachers never called on him anyway and none of the kids would poke and prod at him in class when the teacher was present, not because they were afraid of reprimand, but because it would interrupt the flow of the day. The only happy moment of his day is his walk home, he takes the long way around the neighborhood, dipping into the shady side without a care in the world. It wasn't like a 14 year old was a high target for mugging or kidnapping, especially someone who looked like him.

The peace he felt on these trips always made his day a little brighter, made his day almost worth all the shit he had to suffer through.

One more year, he would tell himself, just one more year of this and I'll be out of their hair for good. Sometimes he wishes those days would come faster, where he could just up and disappear of the face of the Earth and not bother anyone again, but he was also scared for those days to come. It wasn't going to be easy for someone like himself a job, not a potential criminal like himself. His very presence set people on edge, it was as if he was a constant plague that infected everyone within direct line of sight.

His way home today was cut short when the sounds of gurgling and dark chuckling filled the air around him. He was currently passing under the freeway, a darkly lit tunnel that no one ever passed through. A wet hand clamped down on his shoulder and he was spun around to face something that vaguely resembled a man, if a man were made of slime. Floating eyes narrowed in on him and Izuku could feel the blood in his veins curdle. A harsh smile spread across the nameless man's features.

"Yes, you'll do nicely, very inconspicuous." The male gurgled, his grotesque body quivering in excitement.

He placed his hand over Izuku's mouth and the boy could feel the way his slime body wriggled its way into his mouth and down his throat. Izuku's eyes widened ever so slightly and he began to struggle in his hold.

"Now now kid, just sit still and it will all be over soon, you won't feel a thing." The man's voice rang out in the empty tunnel, echoing off the walls and making Izuku feel trapped.

A harsh burning sensation spread throughout his body, but before Izuku could begin to comprehend what was happening, a calm voice called out from behind them.

"Whatcha got there friend?" The voice said, making the villain pause and turn around to come face to face with another male, this one a lot more humanoid in shape.

Izuku couldn't recognize who the man was with his fuzzy vision, but the distraction gave him enough time to throw himself out of the hold of the slime man. Coughing up the sticky fluids, Izuku panted from the ground a little ways away from the green male. His eyes rose to take in the sudden arrival of the other person. The most notable feature the male had was the hand that covered the majority of his face. Izuku could just make out the bright red eyes hiding behind the severed limb. His hair was hidden behind a black hoodie, along with most of his body, his black pants coming to rest just above his ankles and red shoes adorning his feet.

All in all the male gave off a rather intimidating vibe, and if it weren't for the fact that he had just inadvertently saved his life, Izuku would probably have been afraid of who he was seeing in front of him. The male glanced over in his direction, looking him over quickly before it settled back on the slime man. His hand came to rest against his hip, the other coming to rise up to scratch at his neck lightly. Izuku felt his own hair itch at the sight of the skin that seemed to flake off at the motion.

His skin is really dry, either it's because he doesn't take care of himself, or it's a side effect from his quirk.

Izuku was beginning to think it was the latter. As the male got closer, he realized just how tall this person was. He easily towered over the boy, and was at least a head taller than the gelatinous mess of a being. Scooting a little ways away from the advancing male, he gave the two a decent amount of room just in case something were to head south, it also made it easier to flee if need be.

"Not that it is of your concern, but this boy here was about to be my getaway driver so to speak." The mass spoke up after a tense silence.

"Hmm." Was all the man replied, but somehow that sound was more frightening than any words he could've said.

Maybe it was the sudden crazed look in his eye, or the way his scratching at his neck grew rougher and faster, maybe it was a combination of the two, but the slime male seemed to pick up on the sudden change of mood. With a soft squeak in alarm and a glare sent towards the still grounded boy, the slime man was off, slinking back into the manhole he came from. The two of them were left alone, and those red eyes once again locked in on him. The look in them from before was no longer present, but that didn't stop the chill from creeping up his spine as the male stalked closer.

Before Izuku could flee, a hand was outstretched in his direction. Palm facing up, Izuku could only stare into the eyes of his savior as he allowed himself to be pulled up from the cold concrete. He took notice of the way only four fingers wrapped themselves securely around his wrist, hoisting himself up easily. Underneath the baggy clothing must have been a decent amount of muscle if he could pick him up with no struggle.

"Come on kid, let's get you somewhere a little safer." The soft tone in the man's voice had any fear in him fading away and with a small grateful smile, Izuku let the man lead him out of the tunnel and away from where he was sure was going to be his deathbed.

If only he had waited a few moments more, or perhaps the male wasn't there to save him because just as they were walking out of sight, the form of All Might landed on the ground with a crash and the man was looking blindly for what could've been the next Symbol of Peace.


	2. Chapter 2

The walk was silent and slightly unnerving. Izuku realized his fatal mistake a little too late and now he had to pay the price. He had no clue where the male was taking him. He didn't voice these concerns out loud, blindly putting his trust in him. They walked for what seemed like hours, but in hindsight, it must've been no more than 20 minutes. The male pulled them to a halt just outside of a rather run down looking bar before he released Izuku's hand entirely.

"Where are we?" Izuku whispered, too afraid to break the silence that had surrounded them the entire way here.

"Let's get you something to eat hmm? You look like you could use a good meal." The man ignored the question, instead he placed a hand to Izuku's back and guided him into the building.

"Welcome back Shigaraki, oh? And who is this?" A man asked from behind the bar.

Izuku's eyes widened in surprise before he squealed excitedly. He has always been a fan of quirks and how they worked. Before either Shigaraki or the other man had time to blink, Izuku was clear across the room and planted firmly in a stool in front of the mist man.

"Hello sir, my name is Izuku Midoriya. May I ask you what your quirk is? I've never seen someone who's quirk produces a mist from their body before! Do you even have a physical form? Or is your mist your actual body? Judging by the neck guard you currently have on, I'd assume you do have a physical form and it lies beneath that. How does your quirk function? Oh! Maybe it's some form of teleportation, or perhaps something like Pro Hero 13? Oh or maybe-" Izuku was cut off by a snort.

Izuku hadn't even realized he had started muttering by that point. Blinking his eyes, he turned to face the male still by the doorway. The hand that was resting on his face was now in his free hand, one finger still poised away from the object. His other hand covered his mouth and his eyes were screwed shut. His shoulders shook with silent laugher. Izuku tilted his head, confused as to why this was the reaction he was getting. Turning in his chair, he realized just why the other male had started to laugh. The mist man's eyes were wide open, and if he had a mouth, Izuku bet his jaw would be on the ground.

"Holy shit kid, you are a riot." The Shigaraki chuckled, appearing by Izuku's side as he took a seat in an empty bar stool beside him.

A clothed arm wrapped itself around the boy, pulling him into a side hug as the male gained the mist man's attention.

"Kurogiri, you mind making us something to eat, kid looks like he hasn't eaten in a few days." Shigaraki nodded his head in Izuku's direction before he waved the man off and turned back towards the green haired boy beside him.

Izuku eyed the man now that he could see the rest of his face. His lips were cracked and chapped, dried blood caked in the cracks and his red eyes a stark contrast against the ghostly pale skin of his face. Izuku frowned for a moment, remembering something in his backpack. Shigaraki pulled his arm away from the boy when he reached around for his backpack, rummaging around inside before he cheered and pulled out a small tubular object. Without asking, Izuku uncapped the object and smeared the chapstick over the male's lips before he closed it once more and stuffed it into the male's hand.

"You should take care of yourself more." Izuku chatized the man, earning an absent minded nod in return.

Shigaraki rubbed his lips together, ignoring the slight sting of the balm as it got in his cuts before he turned to look back at the boy, ignoring the strange fluttering in his chest at the sight of the bright smile cast his way at the action.

"Duly noted kid. You got a time you have to be home by?" Shigaraki asked, pocketing the balm.

"No, mom doesn't really care how long I stay out for, says it makes her life easier not having to cook for me. When she does at least." The detached tone in the kid's voice had Shigaraki sitting up a little straighter in his chair.

"Your ma doesn't feed you?" He asked after a moment, resting his chin in the palm of his hand to feign disinterest.

"She does on Wednesdays and Sundays. For the most part it's takeout she brings home after work or scraps of what she ate that day. I don't mind, at least she gives me something to eat." Izuku shrugs nonchalantly.

"Kid, this isn't something you should take lightly. You're practically skin and bones." Shigaraki watched as Izuku just nodded in response. "You have to realize that's not good for you right? Kids your age aren't supposed to be that short either. How old are you anyway?"

"14, soon to be 15 in July." Izuku replied with a smile.

Shigaraki hummed, tapping a finger against the side of his face as he eyed the boy with interest. His eyes scanned over the obvious signs of malnourishment in the too small a frame for a teen his age, but said nothing on the matter.

"You said your name was Izuku right? Name's Tomura, Squirt." The man grinned, ruffling the oily hair beneath four fingers.

Izuku leaned into the affectionate touches immediately, sending Shigaraki a blindingly bright smile his way.

"When you feel up to it, you're allowed to stop by and hang out whenever you want. I'll have Kurogiri make you something to eat when you get here." Tomura mumbled, spindly fingers toying with the slick green strands idly as he watched Izuku nuzzle into his palm.

That same fluttering in his chest started up once more as he continued to play with the green locks. The look of peace over the boy's face made Shigaraki's face heat up slightly, something the older man hadn't noticed until Kurogiri came back in and cleared his throat.

The hand in Izuku's hair was torn away as if it had been burned, something that he'd have to admit stung just a bit, but the scent of food had any and all thought flying out the window. His eyes shot up, watching in rapt attention as the mist man came and placed two plates on the counter near them. Miso soup had never smelled so good in all his life. Thanking the male who had made him the meal, he dug in with gusto. The two men in the room watched as the full bowl disappeared within moments. Izuku lapped at the broth that dribbled down his chin, licking his lips clean before he sent a bright smile at the two men. With that look, the two fell in love with the green ball of sunshine.

The sound of static filled the room before the sound of screams and a news anchor babbling nonsense came on. A familiar image of a slime man centered in the screen gave Izuku pause. Roaring fires surrounded the large alleyway, explosions ricocheting out of the slime and a head of ash blond hair poking out of the side of its body. All sound faded into the foreground as frantic red eyes flashed in the direction of the camera and blood rushed behind Izuku's ears. Izuku took notice of how no one was moving to help and that made him angry.

"Why is no one moving to help him? He obviously can't get out of that himself…" Izuku muttered angrily, hand coming up to scratch at his head absentmindedly. "They're all the same, fake heros."

Shigaraki blinked in surprise at the harshness of the boy's tone, anger pointed towards the heroes of society. It wasn't often he heard children Midoriya's age talk bad about those that protect society. Side eyeing the signs of child neglect, he supposed he felt abandoned by those who were supposed to save those like himself. Shigaraki could understand that feeling all too well, the sense of hopelessness and hatred towards the heroes. Before he could quell the child's anger, the blurred image of All Might came rushing onto the scene, sending a powerful punch in the direction of the slime villain and setting the boy free.

Shigaraki rolled his eyes at the sudden outcry of excited fans as they all took in the form of the number one hero. The excited squeal of Midoriya gave him pause however. A dopey grin spread across the boy's face and his eyes lit up unlike anything Shigaraki has ever seen from him. His hands reached for his backpack and within moments he had a pad and pencil in hand, jotting down notes he took in from the screen.

"Amazing, his punch affected the barometric pressure and caused rain to fall. Just what I would expect from All Might. His punch could've hurt the hostage, a risky move he had to make." Izuku mumbled as he scribbled in his notebook.

"Squirt, take a breath, you're gonna pass out if you keep muttering like that." Shigaraki chuckled, watching as the boy paused in his note taking and sucked in a deep breath of air before releasing it and setting his pencil aside.

"Ne Tomura? Have you ever wanted to be a hero?" The sudden question gave him pause.

Once upon a time, he had. He remembered a time when his life was good. Before his quirk manifested and took all he had from him. He remembered looking up to the man on the screen with all the childish admiration in the world. Feeling the excitement in his veins at the thought of getting his quirk and being a hero just like All Might, but not anymore. The hand on the countertop next to him a heavy reminder of just why he couldn't become what he had once.

"Maybe once I did." He responded, his hand reaching out to ruffle Izuku's hair.

"Why don't you want to be one anymore?" Izuku leaned in to the touch, eyes wide with curiosity that Shigaraki didn't know if he could deliver on.

"I'll tell you someday. Do you want to be a hero Izuku?" Shigaraki asks, a small grin spreading across his face at the look in the boy's eyes.

"It would be amazing if I could be a hero! I want to help people! Everyone tells me how I can't do anything right, how I just mess things up instead of actually helping them, but I really want to prove to them that I can be good, that I can be a hero that others can look to for help!" Izuku smiles brightly, staring right into Shigaraki's eyes with a shocking conviction that even he could feel.

"If anyone could do it, it would be you Squirt. I believe in you." The words spilled past his lips without a moment's notice, surprising both himself and Kurogiri.

The tears that pricked the corners of Midoriya's eyes had the two in the room locking up in surprise. Shigaraki hadn't said anything that would offend. Before he could apologize to him, arms wrapped around his neck and curly green hair was pressed against the side of his face. The boy sniffled for a moment before he cleared his throat and spoke.

"Thank you for believing in me. I'll make you proud." Izuku's voice quivered, but behind the shakiness, they could hear the determination loud and clear.

Arms wove themselves around Izuku's waist, pulling him closer for a moment before they pulled back and he in turn unwrapped himself from around Tomura's neck. Casting both men in the room a bright smile, Izuku bid them both a good night and promised to return soon. They nodded in his direction, Kurogiri seeing the boy to the door before he closed it behind him and turned to look at his charge. The lost look on his face almost had Kurogiri laughing.

"I suppose I should clear out a room upstairs in case Midoriya ever decides to stay longer next time, hmm?" Kurogiri watches as Shigaraki just nods in response, his hand coming up to scratch at his neck.

"That boy is going to be the death of me, I can feel it." Shigaraki mumbles, drawing a snort out of his caretaker before he disappears behind a door.

Now alone in the bar, Shigaraki allows himself to relax in his stool, flush coming back full force with no one present.

"Why did I say that?" He asks aloud, face burning brightly in embarrassment.

"Maybe you truly see his potential to achieve greatness Tomura. It is not a bad thing to admit so. That boy possesses every quality that would make him a great hero." A voice responds and the flush on his face only grows hotter.

"Sensei, why do I feel so troubled by this?" Shigaraki asks, turning to face the television once more.

"Mayhaps you are afraid of how you feel that troubles you so. Whatever happens will continue to do so, if you are ready to accept it or not. I only hope you don't let it be your downfall child." Sensei's voice calms Tomura's nerves slightly.

"Thank you Sensei." Tomura bows his head before the television goes to static once again.

"How I feel huh…" The scratching grows rougher momentarily before halting entirely. "I suppose that makes sense."


	3. Chapter 3

Izuku could count the amount of times he had seen his father on one hand. The man had crazy curly brown hair and bright yellow eyes. Other than the hair, Izuku had gotten nothing from his father. Except his quirk. His father's quirk is called dragon's flame. He spits fire from his mouth like a human flamethrower. He supposes that's where he got his fascination of fire from. At the age of two, Izuku had developed a rather strange fixation on the dangerous element that is fire. His mother, who was an actual good person to her son at the time, didn't really think much of it. The boy's father had a quirk that allowed him to conjure up flames, Izuku being interested in something that ties him to the absent man made sense in her head.

For the first three years of his life, his mother was a constant in his life. She took care of the only thing left that Hisashi gave her. After three years of living off the money the state provided her and the small meager money that came randomly from her absent lover, she decided that her son was old enough to be left home alone while she went out to look for work. The first time Izuku was left alone, he almost burned the apartment down. His mother became less of a mother after that.

At age five, Izuku was off to kindergarten. His best friend at the time, a boy he lovingly dubbed Kacchan, went with him into school together. The two were often seen with one another. It wasn't a strange occurrence when one of their parents had to pull the other off of them and drag them home to get prepared for dinner and eventually bed. At around five and a half, Izuku was sitting in his desk, listening to the teacher talk about something number related when his stomach started to hurt. The pain was easy to ignore at first and he was much too nervous to interrupt the teacher while they were talking to do much about it. At least he was until the slight pain turned into a roaring inferno. The burning in his stomach became something he couldn't ignore, and with tears in his eyes he raised his hand to get the teacher's attention.

The teacher turned to address the crying child in the room.

"Midoriya-san, what's wrong?" The teacher asked, putting the chalk in hand down.

Izuku opened his mouth to respond, but instead of words coming out, a large plume of fire burst from his lips. The excitement of getting a quirk never showed, all that happened in that moment was a few kids crying out in pain as Izuku's newfound power sprang forth and burnt their skin. Izuku's eyes widened in surprise and he quickly shut his mouth, the fire being cut off and fizzling out. The damage had been done however and Izuku couldn't take back what he had offhandedly caused. A girl and boy who he sad behind had major burns covering their back and all their hair had burnt off. Kacchan who sat next to the boy had major burns covering the right side of his face, half his head of hair burnt to a crisp. Cries of pain and suffering surrounded the young boy. School officials showed up and called the local authorities, ambulances and police cars were quick to arrive on the scene. Those injured were immediately hauled into ambulances and taken to the hospital, police officers were talking with teachers over what happened and one had taken Izuku into custody. His trip to the police station was filled with fright and sadness. The police officer wasn't harsh with the boy, he had seen bad cases of kids getting their quirks and understood that there was a chance that they could grow uncontrollable.

No charges were filed against him by any of the parents, but he did get two years of quirk counselling. Each day after school he was picked up by a counsellor and spend two hours learning how to control the burn that resided in his stomach. His mother had become even less of a mother that day. The police officer had taken him back home that night, knocking on the door to his apartment and telling his mother what had transpired that day. With a thank you directed at the officer for driving her son home she dragged Izuku inside and wished the cop a good night. It was the first time his mother ever raised a hand at him and the first time he had gone to bed without dinner. Years had gone by without another incident. His once best friend had cut ties with him altogether. Kids in his class were too afraid to play with him and he was ostracized from his peers. At the age of eight he was used to being alone, his mother beating him for getting in the slightest amount of trouble and sending him to his room with no dinner.

It didn't take long for the kids in middle school to start bullying him. With an influx of new kids, rumours spread quickly of the villainous kid with the fire quirk. Taunts and insults rapidly grew into fights and death threats placed in his locker. His mother was called often with complaints from the teachers and staff that had to break up fights with other students. The beating that happened on occasion turned into a nightly occurrence and soon his mother stopped having to have a reason to punish her child and did so for the rush she felt from beating her only son. Bruises that weren't from the kids at school were covered up with long shirts and pants, despite it being in the upper nineties. Teachers noticed the changes in the child, but did nothing to help, turning the other cheek when kids ganged up on him until he retaliated with a punch or kick in the bullies direction.

At the age of 13, he had so many scrapes and scars that people who didn't know him on the streets stopped to give him food or money. Telling him that he was brave for sticking up for himself but to be careful and not pick fights he couldn't win. He didn't have the heart to tell them that he wasn't homeless, just bullied and beaten by the only person who would take care of him. Those he did know either stopped to pick on him or turned tail and fled. He wasn't sure which of those he liked more.

Close to his 14th birthday, the last and final incident happened. School had just let out and a small group of the more physical bullies had stopped him, pulled him aside and beat him up just as he was leaving campus. He learned early on that fighting them only made it worse so he stood and took each punch and kick they gave him. After a few minutes, they backed away and allowed the bloody boy a chance to flee. He ran home. A few blocks away, the same group of kids cornered him, each of them with matching grins on their faces.

"Some stupid adult got onto us after they witnessed us kicking your ass, so we thought what better to come and give you another piece of what we have to offer." One of them said.

This was different from their normal rhythm. He was either beaten before or after school, and never more than once in one day. The punches and kicks he got were harder and more frequent. With the snapping of one of his ribs, a cry was forced from his throat, and with it the flames he tried so desperately to keep at bay came rushing out. The entire group was caught up in the inferno. The screams and cries from them brought back painful memories he tried so desperately to bury. He snapped his mouth closed and booked it out of there.

The next day, a police officer was waiting at his house when he got home from school. The look on his mother's face was anything but reassuring. The man told him that he was to come with him, that he had a few questions that he needed to be answered. Izuku nodded his head, growing nervous. The ride to the station once again brought up memories that he wasn't too keen on reliving, but he kept his head down to appear as small as possible.

The officer led him into a small room where he was told to sit down and wait until a detective showed up. Izuku waited for what felt like hours until a rather tall man came into the room. He wore an overcoat and a hat was tucked underneath his arm. The man stepped into the room calmly, placing the hat on the table in front of Izuku and taking a small file out from his coat. The file was also placed down on the table. Izuku eyed the small paper with curiosity but he didn't move to touch it. The man took the other seat across from him and sat down, reaching forward to grab the file and look through it.

"Your name is Izuku Midoriya correct?" The man spoke after a moment, looking up from the papers.

"Y-yes sir." Izuku responded, hands resting in his lap beginning to fidget.

"Well you don't need to worry. We aren't charging you so you can relax. I'm just here to go over what you felt happened yesterday." The detective smiled at the boy reassuringly.

With that small smile, Izuku felt his eyes water. Nodding, Izuku began with the fight that took place just after school. The news behind what happened to the kid in front of him made Tsukauchi angry. With a look towards the kid it was obvious that something else was going on besides, "oh this scary boy attacked our children" that he got out of all the mothers that came in with burnt kids yesterday. The kid was covered in bruises and old scars that riddled all the visible skin. The longer he spoke, the more Tsukauchi realized that something besides school wide bullying was taking place. The way he spoke about his mother and the teachers gave him pause.

"You said your mother got onto you for getting in trouble with the teachers correct?" Tsukauchi interrupted him, watching as Izuku froze for a moment before he slowly nodded his head.

"Yes sir, my mother works a lot and she gets angry with me if the school calls her while she's at work. Says it interrupts her work flow and that she doesn't have time to talk about me." Izuku mumbles, the words slipping past his lips so fast that the detective almost missed what he said.

He watched as Izuku fiddled with his fingers when he stopped to take a breath. The boy seemed very skittish. His eyes found the many small scars that lay on his face. They were all too small to be from anything the kids at school could get a hold on, too scattered and random. They looked suspiciously like wounds from glass shards. Going over what the boy said in his head once more, he decided that there was definitely something else going on here besides bullying. With a few more small questions, Tsukauchi figured he had scared the boy enough and made a move to stand up and leave.

"Oh and my name is Naomasa Tsukauchi kid. Maybe I'll see you around sometime, you have an amazing quirk for heroics." The detective said with a small bow in the direction of the boy before he turned and left out the door.

If he stuck around for a moment longer, he would've seen the tears the boy shed over the first time someone had ever said he would amount to more than street trash. The remaining time of that year was spent on studying for the upcoming finals tests and practice tests for the high school entrance exams. Running into Shigaraki and that slime villain was all happenstance, but he wouldn't have changed it for anything. That entire summer after getting out of middle school Izuku spent with Tomura practicing for the UA entrance exams.

How Shigaraki found out about the test before any real information was released to the public was beyond Izuku's knowledge, but he didn't bother to ask too many questions. He knew his new friend had a hand in some rather shady business and he didn't want to end up in the middle of something actually incriminating. With all the beatings that Izuku had taken growing up, he knew how to handle getting in skirmishes and how to avoid anything from causing lasting damage. They focused more on developing his quirk and hand to hand combat. A few months wasn't going to make up for the years of time he spent not using his quirk, but by the time the entrance exam was upon them, Izuku had formulated a few moves that Shigaraki deemed passable.

The night before the exams were spent at the bar. Kurogiri was polishing a few cups while the two boys spent their time playing video games up in Shigaraki's room. The flashing of the television in the otherwise dark room cast shadows along the walls. Controllers connected to the console were abandoned on the ground as the two reclined on the small bed in the corner of the room. Shigaraki's hand was pressed into Izuku's hair, five fingers pressed against his head and scraping against his scalp. Izuku was glad he had gotten those half gloves for the man. The hand that played with his hair was a constant presence while he was here.

Shigaraki was also glad that Izuku had gotten him the gloves. He could freely touch the boy without fear of his quirk destroying yet another thing in his life he was finally allowing himself to enjoy. The green haired boy was lying across his lap, his phone in hand as he scrolled through articles of news feed. The silence of the room was peaceful. Shigaraki's other hand rested on the small of Izuku's back, four uncovered fingers rubbing the skin that peaked out from underneath the shirt he wore.

"Ne Tomu, do you think I stand a chance tomorrow?" The sudden question gave the older boy pause.

He allowed himself to truly mull over the question. He knew that his Izuku had one wild streak in him. He also knew that the boy rushed head first into things even if he would have trouble getting himself out of them. But despite the heart attacks he gets from the boy, he knows just how hard he tries, just how much effort he puts into things. Izuku's drive alone is something heros nowadays lack in. If those stuck up teachers at UA don't realize the potential this kid has, then they clearly can't fucking see.

"Squirt, you were practically born for this role. If those so called heros who work there don't see your potential the second you step on campus they are blind. You will be a hero, I have no doubt." The conviction in Shigaraki's voice brought tears to Izuku's eyes.

"Thank you Tomura." Izuku smiled, hand coming up to brush against the man's face.

"Call me Tenko Squirt." The words came from his lips without much thought, but Shigaraki didn't mind all too much.

"Tenko?" Izuku asked, head tilting to the side in confusion.

"It's my birth name, Tenko Shimura." Was his simple answer.

"Tenko… It suits you!" Izuku's bright smile made the ever familiar fluttering in his chest spring to life.

He gave the boy a small smile in return before he reached a hand down to the ground and grabbed one of the abandoned controllers, unpausing and picking up where he left off in the game. Izuku returned his attention back to the article he was reading before hand, the silence in the room once again returning and within minutes, the calming hand was once again pressed against Izuku's hair. Izuku ended up falling asleep in the upstairs room splayed across Shigaraki's lap. A hand shaking his shoulder the next morning had him jumping up off the man and rushing out the room, down the hall into the bathroom to clean up, shouting nonsense about him being late for the test.

Neither of the two men had the heart to tell him he was three hours early when he decided to leave, casting a wave in their direction before he was out the door.

"He'll realize sooner or later, don't worry about it Kurogiri." Shigaraki shrugged his shoulders, plopping himself down in a stool.

"I'll make something for him to eat when he comes back, maybe a cake too." The mist man cast the door one final look before he ducked into the kitchen.

The trek to UA's campus included a rather short train ride and a twenty minute walk from the station. Once he was a few blocks from the school, he realized just how little students were making their way up the stairs. A few kids were lingering around the gate out front, but little were actually heading inside. A rather tall kid seemed to be drawing attention to himself as he complained loudly about another kid who was reclining on the wall. Izuku was hesitant to make his way over but the tall kid turned and spotted him making his way up to the gates.

"Young man, if you are here to pick fights or take our money I must alert you to the local authorities!" The shouting made Izuku pause.

"Huh?" Izuku tilted his head to one side, eyebrow raised in question as the boy motioned towards his face.

"You are covered in scars! Obviously some sign of a delinquent!" The boy nodded his head.

"I'm actually here to take the test? And I'm not a thug, I just get bullied a lot?" Izuku spoke as if both sentences were a question, but the words he spoke made the tall boy flush.

"Oh, my apologies then! I didn't mean to bring up anything that would offend." The boy shook his hands, a small frown on his face at his own actions.

"Don't worry about it, doesn't bother me." Izuku's clipped response had the others flinching.

The rest of the time they spent waiting outside the gate was filled with an awkward silence that everyone except Izuku took notice of. The wait had to be about an hour long before a teacher came out and let them all in, by that time the ten or so had turned into about thirty strong. They were all led into the campus, the sight of the towering school filling each of them with excitement. Each of them were sent off to their testing sites after they were signed in. Izuku sat with one or two others in the room, the occasional kid filing in before a large mass of them came pouring in twenty minutes before the tests were set to begin.

The written portion was far too easy for Izuku's liking. He was always good in school, so he didn't spend too long agonizing over it. Each of them were led into a humongus auditorium and sat according to their name and school. The sight of a familiar head of ash blond hair made Izuku flinch. He sat in his seat quietly, trying not to disturb the boy. Red eyes flashed in his direction and made his blood run cold. The fear he could see residing deeply in them made his head spin. Neither said a word to one another during the briefing, the sound of Present Mic on stage sounding far away in Izuku's ears. It was a good thing Shigaraki had gone over all the things he would need to know for the practical exam.

Time seemed to blur for him. Within moments the briefing was over and they were ushered in different directions leading them towards their testing site. The constant chatter of the kids kept Izuku from zoning back out and he made his way through the crowd of kids to survey the entrance to their zone. The long hallway posed an immediate challenge. He would have to get a head start for him to make it through and start picking off some of the robots. The sight of Present Mic standing on a podium had him readying himself for the call.

"GO!" Present Mic shouted and with that Izuku was rushing forward.

He and a few others were some of the only ones to rush out, many of the testers standing confused at the sudden call. Izuku vaguely heard Present Mic shouting once more but he was far too into the game for his brain to process what was said. A few robots went down in a plume of fire, the heat from his quirk registering in the back of his mind.

'That makes thirteen, there has to be more somewhere.' Izuku spun around and took off in the direction of more robots being tossed about and destroyed.

Coming upon a kid who had tripped and fell was not something he was expecting to see, but he rushed in to help anyway. He spit out more fire, forcing the robot to overheat before he drug the boy out of the way of danger and made sure he was okay on his own before he was back up and rushing about, calling over his shoulder to make sure the kid would be more careful before he was out of sight.

"Thanks…?" The kid mumbled, purple eyes staring into the spot the boy had just been before he picked himself up off the ground and made his way back into the fray.

Izuku continued this cycle of helping others up until the ground began to rumble. He wasn't sure how many points he had gotten from the robots, he had lost count after about twenty five, but the others he had saved came first. The first sight of the zero pointer had Izuku turning around to run in the other direction to hopefully gather more points before the timer was called. The sound of someone screaming made him pause. Turning around, he spotted a girl stuck under a chunk of concrete. Taking a glance back at the zero pointer, Izuku formulated a plan. Rushing to the girl, he made sure nothing was seriously injured. She had a broken leg but other than that, seemed alright, a mild case of overusing her quirk but otherwise physically okay.

Looking around he tried to find something that could be of use in this situation. Spotting a large piece of metal broken off from one of the half destroyed buildings was a blessing in disguise. Picking up the metal, he brought it back over to the girl and made a small makeshift jack. Placing the metal underneath the concrete, he heaved the large chunk up off the girl as much as he could, giving her enough room to slip out from underneath. Once she was cleared from the rubble, he allowed it to fall back to the ground. The sight of the zero pointer closing in made him anxious. Hoisting the girl up off the ground, he dragged her out and away from the main street, leaving her with a group of kids who were hiding away and making sure she was alright before he stormed back out into the street to make sure no one else was stuck. The sight of that tall boy from earlier crawling on the ground made his blood boil.

The zero pointer was almost on top of the boy. It was obvious the boy had overused his quirk, the engines in his calves were glowing red and he seemed to be in pain. With a calming breath, Izuku rushed back out into the mess. Gathering up as much air in his lungs he opened his mouth and for the first time in years, allowed his quirk to rage. The plume of fire that burst forth burned hotter than anything else he had ever made. The flames glowed blue and crashed against the zero pointer and immediately melted into the metal. The stench of melting plastic and burning wood filled his nose and made his eyes water but he didn't let up in his attack until the thing slowed to a halt.

Without a second thought, he turned to the taller boy and hoisted him up onto his shoulders with a loud grunt. The strain on his legs was uncomforting, but he didn't want to be stuck underneath a melting robot anytime soon. With a few powerful kicks to the ground he was clearing the road and making his way to safety. He vaguely heard the sound of the time being called, but the blood that rolled behind his ears made it hard for him to hear much of anything. Once he got a decent distance away from the danger, he lowered the boy down to the ground and checked over him for any wounds. Besides a few scratches here and there, he was fine.

Letting out a sigh of relief, he let himself fall backwards. His body ached and his throat was raw. His quirk couldn't burn him, but that didn't stop his throat from feeling like he had just swallowed a dozen razor blades. He shut his eyes for a moment before he blinked them back open. When his vision cleared, he saw an old lady peering over him with a worried look in her eyes. Seeing that the boy was awake made her feel slightly better. She handed him a water bottle and a few candies before she kissed him lightly on the head and his throat felt a hundred times better. Taking a large gulp of water made it pulse painfully, but he sucked down half the bottle before taking a breath.

"You gave me quite a scare, child. You overused your quirk way past what should be physically possible and passed out not too soon after." The old woman rubbed his head affectionately before she passed onto the boy he had helped earlier.

She kissed his head in turn and gave him a few gummies, repeating the same thing about overusing his quirk and to take it easy next time. Izuku blinked wearily at her retreating figure, vaguely recognizing her in the haze that filled his head.

"Oh, Recovery Girl, that's right." Izuku muttered, his voice hoarse.

"Thank you for saving me. I was wrong about you after all." A voice spoke up to his left.

Turning his head he was met with cool blue eyes that were filled with a deep respect and a bit of relief. Izuku nodded in his direction, blinking once more before he stood on shaky legs.

"It's no problem, I was just doing what I felt was right." Izuku brushed his pants off before he stood and held a hand out. "Name's Midoriya Izuku, pleasure to meet you."

"Iida Tenya, likewise." The boy - Iida - responded, reaching out and grasping the hand held out to him.

The trip back to the bar was a long and tiresome one. Izuku was almost tempted to call and have Kurogiri warp him there, but using the man's quirk because he was too lazy to walk back felt wrong so he suffered in silence until he was at the door to the small bar. Pushing it open, he was met with a tight hug and the sound of a small confetti popper going off. Blinking in surprise, he wrapped his arms around whoever was hugging him. Before he could pull away to figure out who it was, a voice whispered in his ear.

"Congrats Squirt." The raspy voice of his friend made his eyes water.

"Thank you." Izuku whispered, burying his face into Shigaraki's chest. "Thank you."


	4. Chapter 4

Logically, Izuku knew that he didn't have enough villain points to pass the practical. He knew, but that didn't stop him from growing excited at the sight of a letter in their mailbox. Pulling the letter out, he made sure to grab anything else left inside before he made his way upstairs to his apartment. He opened the door quietly as to not gain the attention of his mother lying on the couch, snoring. He placed the rest of the mail on the counter before he took his letter into his room and tore it open. A small disk fell out and a hologram popped up, startling the boy when the voice began to ring out in his silent room.

Listening to the thing with it stuck under his pillow was difficult, for the voice of All Might was muffled, but he didn't want to wake his mother so he had to make due. The sound of his childhood idol stating that he didn't have enough villain points to pass made his heart sink, but he had expected this from the beginning. The "but" in the statement however gave him a small sliver of hope.

"It would be unfair of us to ignore such acts of heroism in its finest! Young Midoriya, for the points you lack in taking down villains, you make up for in excess in rescue points! For saving countless testers in a safe and timely manner, you obtained 80 rescue points, well over enough for you to enroll as a hero in training! Congratulations Young Midoriya, welcome to your hero academia!" With that, the hologram stopped playing.

Tears sprung into his eyes, quickly spilling over his cheeks and dripping down his chin. Gripping the acceptance letter in his hands, he pulled it close to his chest and cried. Being as silent as possible, Izuku pulled himself together and snuck back out into the living room. Thankful that he was quiet enough, he crept over to the coffee table and grabbed his mother's phone, sneaking into the kitchen and calling the bar. With a few soft words to Kurogiri, a portal was opened in the alley behind his apartment and his mother's phone was placed back, all traces of the call deleted from its memory.

The familiar smell of the bar filled his nose and brought a fresh set of tears falling. The sight of the crying boy standing in the middle of the bar made all of the occupants stand on edge. The few customers who were actually drinking were mostly confused at the sudden appearance of the obvious minor, but the sudden rage that wafted off of the resident physco at the counter made everyone's hair stand on end. The bartender was also at a loss for words. When he answered the call, Izuku sounded calm and collected, the exact opposite from what he was displaying here. With a worried glance back at his charge, he stepped forward, allowing the small boy to throw himself at him in a hug.

The strange feeling of Kurogiri's arms wrapping around his shoulders was a small comfort, but a comfort nevertheless. He buried his face into the crisp dress shirt, sniffling pitifully. The sight of a small piece of paper caught the mist man's attention.

"Did your results come in Midoriya-san?" Kurogiri asked, giving the boy a final squeeze before he pulled him away to look the still crying child in the eyes.

Izuku nodded, too afraid that his voice would crack if he spoke aloud. He held the paper out to the man and watched as he read the first few lines before he turned back to the boy.

"It says you passed, why are you crying about that?" Kurogiri was confused, isn't that what the boy wanted?

"I-I'm just happy I got in. I was just afraid that I would let you all down." Izuku's voice cracked, wiping his cheeks off on his long sleeve shirt.

He was suddenly pressed against another chest. Lips made themselves present on the top of his head. A four fingered touch on the back of his neck and lower back confirmed what he already knew. He wrapped his arms around the waist of his friend tightly, his cries growing in volume once more. His body shook with sobs as he clutched onto the back of Shigaraki's shirt.

"Why are you crying Izuku?" The soft voice made him hiccup.

"I'm happy. I really am." Izuku mumbled into the shirt, voice shaky.

"You've done well Squirt, now is not the time for tears. Kurogiri made you a cake for this, why don't we celebrate?" The hand that was resting on the back of his neck made its way to play with the strands of hair at the nape of his neck before burying itself into the curls.

Izuku hummed, pulling away from the hug as he let the man lead him over to the counter. Kurogiri disappeared into the kitchen before he came back with a small cake. It wasn't decorated with anything special, only covered in a white frosting. Izuku smiled at the mist man kindly, thanking him as he cut him a piece. Lifting a bite to his lips, he moaned softly. Izuku couldn't remember a time when he last had cake. Smiling brightly up at Kurogiri, Izuku gushed about how good it was. The mist man brought a hand up to rub at his neck guard awkwardly, thanking the young boy for the compliment.

Shigaraki watched as Izuku finished his slice of cake with a happy grin on his face. The boy's cheer was infectious and Shigaraki found himself grinning along with him. A few of the extras in the bar had finally calmed down, the crisis had been averted. It was odd to see that villain hanging out with a teenager of all people. Many of them kept casting glances back at the bunch, watching in on the small and tender scene. The peace was cut short when the front door to the bar swung open loudly. Izuku paused in his storytelling of the practical exam to glance back at the entrance. Shigaraki found himself annoyed at the sudden interruption to his time with the new hero in training.

Tearing his gaze away from his Izuku, he turned to look at the new annoyance in his life. The sight of Giran made his already poor mood worse. The older villain strolled inside without a care in the world, cigarette lit and held between his lips.

"Ah Giran-san, how nice of you to stop by." Kurogiri welcomed the villain inside, pouring the man a whiskey as he sat down a few stools down from Shigaraki.

"Pleasure as always Kurogiri. What's with the kid?" Giran motions towards Izuku as he peered around Shigaraki's shoulder.

"This young man is one of Shigaraki's acquaintances, you will treat him as such." Kurogiri warns before he turns back to cleaning a few glasses.

Giran eyes the green haired boy for a moment before taking a swig from his drink. He casts a glance back at Shigaraki, taking notice of his tense posture and twitching eyebrows.

"Came by today to let you know a few people have reached out to me about your whereabouts, might be new prospects." Giran spoke, gaining Shigaraki's attention.

"And you couldn't just call because…?" Shigaraki led off, raising a brow in question at the sudden embarrassed look that overcame their informant.

"They kinda wanted to scope the place out and I figured that you wouldn't be doin' anything." Giran cast a glance back at the boy by his side.

Shigaraki groaned, hand coming up to scratch at his neck in agitation. The boy at his side clicked his tongue, hand coming up to grasp his wrist. Green eyes met with his, frown on his face as he eyed the damage he had done.

"Tomu, you really need to stop doing that." Izuku dug around in his bag for a napkin, dabbing at his neck before he sat back in his chair.

Shigaraki looked away, a flush on his face. Giran couldn't believe what he was seeing. The Shigaraki Tomura appeared bashful, he of course couldn't see the flush on his cheeks, but the sudden softness he hadn't seen in the man's eyes before was like night and day.

"Yeah yeah, I get it." Shigaraki grumbled, grabbing the napkin from the kid's hand before setting it down and pulling the boy closer.

Giran's eyes couldn't have gotten any bigger in that moment. This green haired boy was doing something that he otherwise found impossible. Shigaraki hated any kind of contact with anyone, cursed them and threatened death by his quirk alone at the slightest brush of contact with someone else, whether it be accidental or not. The sound of arguing outside, reminded him just why he was here. Getting up to hold the door open for his entourage, two people made their way inside. Izuku looked up at the sound of bickering, seeing a blonde and a black haired male yelling at one another over something he didn't care about.

Shigaraki frowned at the ruckus they were causing, fingers twitching against the green haired boy's hand as he held the appendage in his lap. Izuku cast the two a glance before turning around in his chair, going back to speaking with Kurogiri who pulled his attention away from the newcomers to humor the boy. Izuku smiled, breaking into a conversation about quirk theory, something that a boy his age shouldn't begin to understand, yet held his own and even offered a few ideas on the topic himself. Kurogiri wouldn't allow himself to be surprised, he had long gotten used to being surprised by Izuku's intellect.

The two newcomers paused in their argument once they realized that eyes were on them. Toga appeared bashful at the amount of attention on her, but Dabi seemed to flourish under the stares of others. Izuku cast a glance back in their direction, a small frown on his face.

"So nice of you two to finally stop your incessant bickering, it was beginning to irritate me." Izuku turned in his chair, watching as their eyes landed on him, both looking confused at the boy.

Shigaraki cast a glance over in his Izuku's direction, mildly surprised by the reaction from the boy. He hadn't seen this kind of reaction from the boy since he had met him. Watching as Izuku reclined on the stool, his eyes taking in their appearances lazily before he huffed and turned back around. Shigaraki took notice of the man bristle at being blown off and he prepared himself to react if he tried anything. Before the male could step forward, Izuku cast a final glance in their direction, taking notice of the tense form of the black haired man.

A grin spread across the boy's face, his curiosity peaked as he gazed at the man covered in scars. Izuku's fingers twitched, aching to pull out his journal and scribble away in the pages. With a tilt of his head and another well placed grin, Izuku had the man just where he wanted him. Casting Shigaraki a burning glance, he made sure to keep the man in his chair as Scars came rushing at him. A hand wrapped itself around his neck, blue eyes glaring right into his own as a snarl pulled itself from the man's throat. A bark of laughter erupted from the boy, his eyes tearing up against the pressure on his throat.

"I don't like being ignored, or played a fool. What is a kid doing in a place like this?" Dabi glared, hand gripping tighter against the pale throat of the boy.

Izuku just giggled, his own hand coming up to grip at the man's arm. Dabi almost flinched back from the sudden warmth that stung his palm, watching as the boy's throat glowed for a moment before a burst of flame poured from his mouth. Izuku watched as the man's eyes widened in fear before he was released and oddly enough, cold blue flames sprung forth from the man's hands, protecting himself. The grin that spread across Izuku's face was anything but friendly. Hopping from his stool, he stepped towards the man, watching as he fell to the floor, fearful eyes flickering up to meet the boy's.

"I don't think it's any of your business why I am here. Let's get this clear, I don't care for attitude or egos, you will earn my respect and attention through action, not through whining and complaining. Now I believe introductions are in order." Izuku made sure the man understood what he wanted before he sat back down and leaned into the arm that immediately wrapped itself around his shoulder.

Shigaraki was incredibly impressed with Izuku. It had taken a long time for him to build up not only his control over his quirk but his confidence also. Patting the green curls, he turned his attention back to the two newcomers, an eyebrow raised when the girl stepped forward, a blush on her cheeks as she gushed about just how cute his Izuku was. A frown formed on his face, this wouldn't do. His hold on the boy tightened, pulling Izuku closer until he rested on his lap, arms coming to wrap themselves around his waist. Shigaraki made sure to make eye contact with the girl as he leaned in and placed his head against the nape of Izuku's neck and shoulder, nuzzling the skin in affection.

Izuku squeaked in surprise, glancing over to Kurogiri as he stood off to the side, his eyes wide in surprise.

"Uhh, Tomu…?" Izuku mumbled, hands coming up to rub at the man's back, afraid that he had gotten upset during his show of dominance.

"Introduce yourselves before I grow tired of this." The cold tone of his friend had him gripping the shirt beneath his hands, pulling the man closer as he buried his face in the blue strands of hair.

"My name is Himiko Toga! It's a pleasure to meet you!" The girl bowed, a bright grin on her face as she skipped over to the bar, taking a seat next to Izuku.

"...Dabi." The man spoke after a moment, frowning over at the boy before he stood and took a seat away from them, reclining in a booth.

"Now that they are here, I believe my work here is done." Giran nodded towards the two at the bar before he stepped outside, glad to be away from that mess.

Shigaraki dragged a hand down the side of his face, udderly fed up with today's events. Nodding his head to Kurogiri, he made Izuku slip off his lap before he grabbed a hold of the boy's wrist and led him upstairs into his room to blow off some steam. Izuku giggled at his friend's face, hand slipping to hold the man's own hand as they walked into the darkened hallway and out of sight of the others in the bar. Dabi watched as they went, curious as to where they were going. The sound of a glass being placed in front of him pulled him away from the door that swung closed. Seeing the shot of whiskey placed in front of him, he slammed it down before thanking the bartender, striking up a conversation about the boy in question.

"That is Midoriya. He often comes by to spend his time with Shigaraki. I believe the two see each other as friends." The answer he got from the barman wasn't necessarily what he wanted, but at least he knew the boy's name.

'Friends my ass.' Dabi hummed, motioning for another shot as he thought to himself.

Upstairs, Izuku relaxed on the bed, a controller in hand as he and Tomura played some fighter game he didn't know the name of. The sound of the game filled the otherwise silent room as they relaxed. After a few minutes, the screen flashed with Izuku's death and he set his controller aside, letting Tomura come up behind him and pull him into a hug. Izuku knew that what they were doing wasn't something friends did with one another, this felt more intimate. Izuku couldn't find it in himself to pull away, craving the attention that the man offered him. The hand that found its way into his hair had him melting into the hug.

"I was really proud of you today. You handled that situation perfectly." Shigaraki's voice sent a shiver down Izuku's spine.

If Tomura noticed his reaction, he didn't say anything, only holding the boy closer, hand playing in the green strands as he listened to the sound of the game's music. It was times like this that Izuku was going to miss while he was at school, the chance to relax with his friend and just be himself. His arms wrapped themselves around Tomura's neck, burying his face into his chest. Shigaraki noticed the shaking of his Izuku but he didn't move to comment on it, only allowing the boy to cuddle closer, his hand rubbing his back and continuing to play with his hair. He smiled down at the boy as he stilled, his breathing slowing as he fell asleep.

"Sleep well Izuku, you have a long few days ahead of you." Shigaraki placed a kiss to the crown of the sleeping boy's head, letting out a breath as he closed his eyes to let sleep claim them both.


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning, Izuku was found rushing around to get himself prepared for his first day at UA. He had woken up a little later than he had planned, apparently Tomura was too afraid to wake the boy when he was all cuddled up under the blankets, sleeping the day away. Izuku didn't blame the older boy, he could be a pain to wake up anyway. With a thing of bread lodged between his teeth, he pulled his shoes on at the front door to the bar, waving to the people who were found relaxing inside.

"I'm going to be staying at my mother's for a couple nights. She should be coming back from work later today." Izuku told Kurogiri, watching as the man nodded his head.

"Don't hesitate to stop by Midoriya, I can whip you up something to eat before you head back home if I need to." The ever doting parental role model spoke, making Izuku nod his head before he bid them all a good day and skipped out the door.

"Be good for your little teachers Izu-kun!" Toga called out to him, waving her hand in the air enthusiastically as she saw him off.

Izuku waved back over his shoulder, shouting out to her that he would be before he focused on sprinting to the train station. Huffing, Izuku sat down in a vacant seat, thankful that nobody seemed to pay him any mind. The trip to UA from the bar took about 35 minutes, ten or so longer than usual, but Izuku supposed that it must've been rush hour. Sparing a glance at the time on someone else's phone, Izuku cringed. He had fifteen minutes to make it into class. Once the train doors slid open, Izuku made a mad dash to get out of the station, shoving people out of his way with apologies on his lips as he spotted the large and overpowering building that was his new school.

Rushing down the halls, Izuku had to stop someone in the hall to ask where his class was located. The large doors of class 1-A seemed to impose a sense of trepidation within himself. Sucking in a deep breath of air, he slid the door open as quietly as possible in hopes of avoiding people's attention. Luckily the entirety of the class seemed to be focused on that rude boy from the test currently yelling at a way too familiar head of ash blond hair. Izuku felt his heart drop at the sight of bored red eyes staring lazily at the blue haired boy currently yelling about property rights and inappropriate actions in a place of study.

Izuku took in a deep breath before he slipped into the class and sat in an empty seat behind a dual haired boy. The boy himself looked slightly tense, but Izuku didn't pay him any mind, he had his own problems to deal with. The feeling of someone tapping him on his shoulder startled him out of his thoughts and he turned to find familiar purple eyes watching him with interest.

"Fancy seeing you here again hero." The boy spoke, a small upturn of his lips the only sign that he was enjoying watching Izuku flounder.

"Ah, you were that boy that tripped. I'm glad to see you got in!" Izuku smiled, missing the look of surprise on the boy's face at the happiness the boy seemed to radiate off of him.

"Yeah, thanks for helping me by the way. I probably would've gotten hurt and wouldn't have been able to gather up enough points to pass. My name's Shinsou Hitoshi." Shinsou rubbed at his neck awkwardly, not used to people being so nice to him.

"It's no problem! That's what heroes do, help people! My name's Midoriya Izuku, nice to meet you Shinsou-kun!" Izuku smiled once more before the sound of someone clearing their throat caused him to turn and look to the front of the room.

A strange being stood at the podium, wrapped in what looked to be a bright yellow blanket. The being inside the blanket slipped out, dropping the thing he held to the floor as he addressed the class.

"Sit down and be quiet. You all are here to learn how to be heroes, not chat idly and argue with one another. I am your homeroom teacher, Aizawa Shouta. Now, get these gym clothes on and meet me outside." Aizawa tossed the gym clothes on the podium before he gathered his blanket and made his way out of the door without looking back.

Izuku turned to look back at the purple haired boy, getting a shrug in response. The two were the first out the door and the first two to be done with changing, standing outside a little ways away from the form of their teacher. Aizawa-sensei didn't make any move to recognize their presence, with made Izuku nervous. Shinsou didn't look all that bothered by the silence so Izuku didn't allow himself to fret. They waited in silence as slowly students came out to stand with them. As the last of them made their way outside, Aizawa turned to them.

"You all will be subjected to a quirk apprehension test. You all with demonstrate your quirks and their usefulness in this little exam." Aizawa motioned to Bakugou. "Bakugou Katsuki, how far was your pitch in middle school?"

The blond paused for a moment before he stepped forward. "64 sir."

Aizawa nodded his head, handing the ball to the explosive boy and told him to do so with his quirk. The grin that spread across Bakugou's face was anything but pleasant. With a scream of "DIE" and the sound of an explosion the ball was hurtled into the air, disappearing from view. Aizawa hummed, reading the number that showed on the device in his hand.

"704 meters." He read aloud, turning the device to show the surprised class.

Izuku frowned, this was the kind of test they were being put through? How would this benefit them at all in the future as heroes? Apparently he had spoken this out loud for when he looked up every eye was on him, including his teacher. Blinking in surprise, his face grew hot as he shrunk back from the incredulous looks he was getting.

"I understand your concern, Midoriya, but this test isn't about testing your abilities as heroes. This test is to see how well you use your quirks in challenging situations and the way you respond to said challenges. If you wish for this to be done differently, perhaps you were put in the wrong classroom." The cold tone of his teacher's voice made his back straighten in response.

"No sir, my apologies." Izuku bowed, biting his lip as he got a hum in response.

"Come here, you'll go next."

Izuku stood once more, his head held high as he passed by many students as he made his way to the center. Aizawa handed him a ball next, watching with a critical eye as the boy held it in his hand for a moment before he craned his arm back and tossed. The second the ball left his hand, Izuku bent forward and spat his flames behind it, watching as the ball caught fire, but the pressure behind it carried it onward. Turning around to face his teacher, the man looked down and held the device out for him to see.

"I'll let this score count, but burning the ball in the future won't get you a passing score." Aizawa watched as the boy swallowed but nodded his head and stepped out of the circle.

The device had read infinite.

The only other person to come close to his score was that brown haired girl he had saved at the entrance exam. Her quirk had to do with gravity so she simply had the ball float. Her score was infinite too. The other tests were similar in style. His quirk wasn't going to necessarily help until he stopped to think for a moment. The only one he couldn't figure out how to use it to his benefit was a grip strength test. The long jump he used his flames to propel himself further, much like how he did with the ball. The race was the same thing. The final test however, gave everyone pause. Aizawa set up a small game inside a building. The game was a simple game of hide and seek.

"Each of you will go in and find somewhere to hide, after about a minute, I will come to find you. Once I spot you, you are to use your quirk to either fight me or run back to the exit. If somehow you manage to hide until I find everyone else, you will not have to run from me." Aizawa watched as many of the new students seemed confused.

His eyes landed once again on the green haired boy. The kid had a hand covering his mouth, eyes flicking up and around the building, obviously already stratizising. Aizawa had to say he was impressed with the kid. When he called the time, Midoriya was the first one inside, scrambling his way into the stairwell and up to the top floor. A few students followed behind but before long he was alone in a dimly lit room. Izuku knew from years of practice, the easiest way to avoid being seen was to forget you were hiding to begin with. Climbing on top of a bunch of desks, he managed to pull himself up and into the ceiling. Placing the panel back where it belonged, he sat on the beam that supported the roof and promptly fell asleep.

When he awoke, he found himself still up in the ceiling, the sound of his name being called by many students, all of them looking for him. Groaning, he stretched before he moved the panel out of the way and dropped back down into the room. Putting the ceiling tile back he made his way out. A girl with long green hair stopped what she was doing to see the door she just came out of slide open and a sleepy looking Izuku pop out from it. Blinking in surprise, she shouted over to Uraraka that she found him and made her way over to him.

"Midoriya-san, where were you at? I searched the room from top to bottom and couldn't find you." Tsuyu placed a finger to her lips, tilting her head to the side when all he did was yawn.

"You didn't look hard enough then. I can't say I'm not surprised Aizawa-sensei didn't find me. I've had plenty of experience hiding from people that I don't want finding me, something was bound to stick with me." The downtrodden response gave Tsuyu pause.

She didn't bother asking him what he meant, she just led him back outside. Once outside, many students filing out behind them, Aizawa turned to the boy and frowned at him.

"Midoriya, did you not hear any of your classmates calling for you? We have been out here for almost an hour now." The disapproving tone in his teacher's voice made him curl in on himself.

"My apologies sensei, when I hide I tend to forget about actually hiding and I fall asleep. It always works when I'm in situations when I actually need to hide." Izuku bowed his head, feeling guilty that he had kept all his classmates from their studies.

Aizawa blinked in surprise. The fact that he hid so well from not only nineteen other children, but himself was a feat he had not expected from the socially awkward boy. Him announcing that he has had to hide from dangerous situations before also left a weird feeling in his gut. Patting the boy on the head, he let it slide for now.

Later he would look into Midoriya Izuku's file and perhaps dig a little deeper into his home life and past experiences, but for now he would simply have to let the boy develop at his own pace and grow into the hero he would obviously become.

Dismissing the class for lunch, he left to head in the direction of the principal's office, certain that a special animal would also take an interest in the new addition to his class.

Izuku found himself surrounded by a couple of people, all of them eager to know where he was hiding. He rubbed at his neck as they all started talking above one another. An arm found its way around his shoulders, pulling him away from the bright smiles and loud voices. Turning his head, he found a bashful looking Shinsou with his face turned away from him. Sighing in relief, he turned back towards the group around him and told them what they wanted to hear.

"I was in the ceiling." The bluntness of his answer left them all silent and with the distraction, Izuku grabbed hold of Shinsou's wrist and drug him away from the group while he still could.

The trek to the cafeteria was a silent one, both of them enjoying the peace and quiet while it lasted. The chatter of the cafeteria was booming. Standing in line for food was even more chaotic and Izuku made it his mission to stop by the bar each morning to ask Kurogiri for something to eat before he made his way to school. After about ten minutes of waiting, the two made their way to a mostly empty table off to the side and sat down, eating their food in silence. The peace sadly didn't last long. The sound of a tray slamming down on the table caused both of them to look up. Shinsou was confused as to why Bakugou was standing over the table, a vicious glare on his face as he eyed his new friend.

"You have some serious explaining to do Deku. Since when did you think you could amount to anything more than a lowlife?" Bakugou's voice came out harsh and menacing, but the green haired boy didn't seem bothered by it.

"I don't see how any of my business has to do with you Bakugou." Izuku said after he swallowed, his eyes not lifting from his tray as he brought another spoonful of miso soup to his lips.

The enraged snarl that came from the angered blond did however get his attention. Placing his spoon down, he looked up with every ounce of disinterest he could muster. The look must've come off a little harsher than he thought for once his eyes met with the blond's, the boy took a step back visibly shaken. Bakugou blinked before a scowl formed on his face and he picked his tray back up and stomped off, growling under his breath as he went. Shinsou turned to look at his friend, taking notice of the sudden energy that seemed to drain from him. Izuku hunched forward, bangs covering his eyes as he looked down at the bowl on his tray.

With a sigh, the green haired boy pushed the rest of his food away from him, no longer hungry. Bidding Shinshou goodbye for the moment, he stood up and made his way out of the cafeteria, Shinsou's eyes following him all the way.

With the boy no longer there, Shinsou allowed himself to recall the events of the interaction. It seems the two had known each other from somewhere before coming to UA. Bakugou's obvious dislike for the boy had made Shinsou immediately dislike the blond, Midoriya was perfectly fine the way he was. He wasn't some kind of lowlife or scum, but the name he called Midoriya made him angry. Deku was a cruel nickname indeed.

Izuku found himself sitting outside under a tree, knees pulled up to his chest as he waited for lunch time to be over and the beginnings of the academics to start. The fresh air allowed him to clear his mind of any possible bad thoughts or memories that Bakugou seemed to pull out of the recesses of his mind. Too busy with pulling himself together, Izuku missed the dual haired boy that sat down beside him, leaning against the bark as he waited patiently for Izuku to notice him.

The sound of breathing pulled him from his thoughts and he turned to face a boy he recognized from his class. Todoroki Shouto. It was impossible to not know his name, with his father being the number two hero, but as to why he was here with him he couldn't guess.

"Todoroki-kun? Can I be of any help to you?" Izuku asked with a tilt of his head.

When the boy didn't respond, Izuku sat back against the tree, listening to the rustling of leaves in the wind. The silence surrounding the two was different than that of when he spent time with Shinsou. This one felt a little more relaxed. A hand on his shoulder pulled him away from looking at the leaves. He turned to face the boy once more, a question on his lips.

"Why do you take that from Bakugou?" The question surprised Izuku.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Izuku asked, not understanding where Todoroki was coming from.

"It's obvious from the way he talked with you inside that you two have had some poor run ins with one another before. You two went to school together?" Todoroki watched as Izuku nodded his head. "So if you went to school together, I'm assuming his attitude towards you has always been antagonistic. Why do you let him step all over you?"

"It's not that I let him. He just won't leave me be. Nothing I do or say to him matters." Izuku spoke after a moment.

Todoroki hummed, not surprised in the slightest that this was the problem. From the get go, even he could see the problem the blond would cause in class. Taking a look at the green haired boy beside him, he wasn't too worried. At first glance, the kid seemed to be a little too skittish for his liking, but the fire burning in his eyes told another story. Their little chat was interrupted by the bell for class to start back up. Todoroki sighed, hoping that they would've been able to stay outside a little while longer before they had to suffer through their afternoon classes. The dual haired boy was surprised to find a hand in his face, palm upwards. Following the arm up, he found Midoriya smiling at him.

"We should be getting to class soon, I hear Midnight-sensei is a beast when it comes to stragglers." Midoriya waited for Todoroki to grab a hold of his hand before he hoisted him up from the ground.

The two conversed all the way back to class, many they passed turning to stare at them as they went. Neither paid any mind to the looks, carrying on a conversation about algebra and arithmetic. Izuku was surprised just how much fun he was having with the stoic boy. He supposed he just wasn't used to social interaction, much like himself. Because of that, he found himself gravitating that much closer to the boy, and by the time the day had finished, Izuku had made two lifelong friends.

The trek back home was a short one, he didn't have to ride the train to get there, thankful that his mother's apartment was in Musutafu, but unthankful at the same time. He just hoped his mother didn't notice he wasn't home to clean up. By the time he got to the house, his mother was already home, hands on her hips as she waited in the kitchen. The tick in her jaw spoke volumes of her anger. Freezing on the spot in the doorway, Izuku blinked in mock surprise.

"Mother, I didn't know you would be coming back tonight. If I knew I would've planned ahead of time for dinner." Izuku spoke calmly, already stepping further inside to prepare something for her.

"Don't bother, I already ordered takeout. I expect one thing from you, just one, and that is for dinner to be ready by the time I get home from work. What do I find when I walk in the door? An empty house covered in dust and not a child in sight preparing dinner. Tell me why I should even let you stay inside tonight?" The tone of his mother's voice had him straightening on instinct.

"I was busy at school today mother, I didn't think you would be coming in until tomorrow." He responded, eyes not meeting hers as he turned to face her.

A hand found itself gripping his cheeks tightly, hot breath fanning across his face as she bent down to look him in the eye. The fire burning in her green eyes made his heartbeat quicken and his breathing stutter. The grin that spread across his mother's face reminded him of the one he saw Bakugou wearing earlier. Before he could udder another word, his mother's hand was no longer holding him in place. Breathing out a sigh of relief, he stood up straighter, only to be knocked to the ground by a hand whipping across his left cheek.

His eyes stung as he hit the floor, his cheek throbbing as he held a hand over it. The laugh that burst forth from his mother had the tears that were budding in his eyes spilling over. Not moving from the floor, he hoped that she would back off once she realized he wasn't moving to stand. No such luck existed for the boy. A foot planted itself against his chest forcing him to the floor, the force behind it making him wheeze. Looking up, his eyes met hers and for the first time in a long time, he truly feared for his safety.

It wasn't like he hadn't before, but he knew deep down in his heart that the woman standing above him right now would never do anything to seriously hurt him. Maybe knock him around a bit to show him that she wasn't playing around, but nothing that really left any lasting damage. Especially not out where others could see it. On his chest and back there were plenty of scars left by knives and forks from her using her quirk, but each of those could be explained by a nasty fall or a mishap in the kitchen. The crazed look in her eyes now however, was something he hadn't seen before.

The foot that was pressed against his sternum was pushed down further, forcing the air from his lungs. She didn't let up either, kept pushing and pushing until Izuku could feel his ribs creaking against the pressure. Just as he was sure his ribs were about to give way, the force was gone, allowing him to suck in a deep breath before he coughed. He wasn't given enough time for him to recover before the same foot came lashing back out and met with his side. That time he did feel something crack, and a scream tore itself from his throat.

The onslaught that began was nothing like he was used to. Her feet and fists were everywhere all at once. Her quirk activated and Izuku felt something fall against his right leg with a sickening crunch. Her fist met with the side of his skull, knocking his head against the ground roughly. His eyes rolled into the back of his head from the impact. Stars burst behind eyelids, a groan slipping past his lips when he vaguely felt another foot slam into his side. The last thing he saw was his mother's crazy grin and her fist sailing into his left eye before his world was shrouded in darkness.

Coming to was a painful process, and he realized as his right eye cracked open that he was in fact outside lying in the front yard of their apartment complex. His mother wasn't kidding about keeping him outside. The sight of the sun trying to rise from the horizon had his blood freezing in his veins. There was no way he was making it to school like this. He couldn't feel his leg and his left eye wouldn't open. Sucking in air hurt his chest, but he tried with all his might to sit up. His vision swam before he shook his head a little to attempt to focus. All that gave him was a worse headache and made him nauseous. Biting his lip, he put his uninjured leg underneath himself and attempted to stand.

After a few tries, he was up, unsteadily on his good leg. Looking down at his clothes, he felt his face flush. His school uniform was covered in dirt and a little bit of dried blood. It would have to do, there was no way he would be able to make it back inside to change before he had to be in class. Taking a deep breath in despite it making his chest pain flare up, he placed his good foot forward and began the slow trek back to school.

Many people on the street openly stared at the young boy as he passed by, none of them bothering to stop and help him however. A scowl formed on his face. What cowards. A clearly injured person and no one would bother to step up to even ask if he was alright. It was clear from the get go that he wasn't but the fact that not a single person cared struck a chord within him. Biting his lip when he placed too much weight on his hurt let, he stifled a cry of pain. The short trip to school was already starting to drain his energy.

'I just have to get to Recovery Girl. I really hope she's already there.' Izuku thought to himself, glancing at a clock as he passed by a store.

Thankfully, he made it back to school before really anybody showed up. He didn't know how he would explain himself if someone from his class saw him like this. The stairs of the school proved to be the biggest challenge so far. His right leg wasn't in any position to hold up any weight but he knew he couldn't be able to make it up the steps if he didn't try. Closing his eyes, he gathered any leftover strength he had within him and placed his leg down. The mind numbing pain that shot up his leg had his vision whiting out for a moment. Using the handrails, he pulled himself up the steps, taking his time as to not fall back down. Once the doors were in reach, he let out a small cheer, grabbing for the doors and slipping in the dim hallways.

That wasn't a good sign. No lights were on. If there wasn't somebody already here, the doors would've been locked, so he didn't bother to think much of it. Breathing was beginning to get harder so he had to make this quick. He was lucky he knew where her office was, thankful that he had grabbed a map of the school yesterday from an upperclassman. The twists and turns taking him there made his head hurt and his vision spun with every jarring turn. The nauseous feeling reared its ugly head as the doors to her infirmary came within walking distance. Biting back the bile that rose up his throat, he rose a shaky hand to knock at the door. Hearing the shuffling coming from inside made all the leftover energy that he had within him as the door opened, Izuku felt his eyes roll back into his head and he fell forwards with a loud thud.

Shuzenji Chiyo did not expect her day to go like this. Coming in early was a normal occurrence for the old woman. Nedzu was aware of her need to set up before hours and gave her the key to the front door years ago. It was at times like this that she was thankful for all those years of prepping. The sight of a new first year passed out on the ground just inside her clinic, all beaten up and clearly sustaining some form of brain trauma was alarming. Rushing over to her phone, she called the only person who she knew would be up and ready to go at a time like this.

"Aizawa." The man answered the phone, the sleep in his voice easy to recognize.

"Aizawa-san, I need you to come down here immediately, one of your students is passed out in the hallway. Sustaining multiple visible wounds and most likely many that I can't see from looking at him." The urgency in the older woman's voice had any and all sleep fading from Shouta's mind.

Grabbing his coat from the hanger by the door, he grunted an answer to the woman before he hung up, glad that he was already prepared to leave for the school day. Rushing along the rooftops came easily to the underground hero, and within moments he made it to the front doors. Without breaking a sweat he booked it to the infirmary, skidding to a stop once he saw the green haired boy lying in the doorway. A frown marred his face. Turning to look at the medic in the room, he saw her prepping some needles and an I.V. drip.

"Should I move him?" His voice didn't deter her from her focus and with a quick nod, Aizawa hefted his student into his arms as carefully as he could before he set him down on the cot beside her.

"I need you to grab those scissors from off that cart there and cut his shirt and pants away from him." The older woman instructed, busy finding his vein in his arm.

Aizawa did as told and with a soft apology to the boy, he stripped him from his uniform. The sight of Midoriya's badly bruised chest and the multitude of old scars that littered his skin made Aizawa's lips curl in distaste. The woman didn't let the sight stop her. What did give her pause was the amount of bruising that littered his chest. Cursing, the woman tossed aside the stitches and grabbed a needle from the table. Sticking it into his I.V. the woman pressed the plunger until it met with resistance.

"Aizawa I need you to phone an ambulance. There's not much I can do here for internal bleeding of this degree." Shuzenji grabbed a flashlight from the table nearby, turning it on and checking the boy's pupils.

Aizawa stepped away from the cot, pulling out his phone and dialling 119. The call with the emergency operator took too long for the teacher's liking, but once he was assured that an ambulance would be there within the next ten minutes did he let himself relax. Coming back over to the woman, he stood by her side as she flittered about the boy, checking for any further damage that she could.

"I've assessed what I could here. He's got a concussion, a broken leg, possibly a broken eye socket, bruised or broken ribs. The first thing I'm worried about is all the bruising in his chest. If the emergency services don't get here within the ten minute mark, I'm going to have to go in and see if I can find where the bleeding is coming from." The woman sat back, breathing out a heavy sigh of relief when she saw red flashing lights coming from outside.

"Do you think you could carry him out to the stretcher? Take his I.V. drip with you. Once you're back inside, I'll let you head into class so you can prepare your lessons. I'll ride down with Midoriya." Aizawa nodded his head, gathering up the boy in arms before he grabbed the bag from the woman and bolting down the hallway.

The paramedics met him halfway, stretcher at the ready for the boy to be loaded into. A few of them cringed at the sight of the kid, but they rushed him back into the ambulance as Shuzenji came out of the doors. Once she was loaded inside, they took off down the street and back towards the hospital. Aizawa found himself standing around, his eyes following the truck until it was out of sight. He supposed now was probably a good time to get started with reading through Midoriya's files now.

The first of the students started filtering into the class about an hour after all the commotion had finally calmed down. He hadn't received a call from the woman yet, but he knew once she found out anything from the doctors, that he would be the first one she called. About five minutes before the morning bell went off, voices started chatting about where the green haired boy was. His eyes raised from the files on his desk to meet with his class.

"Midoriya has sustained multiple injuries from what we aren't aware of as of yet. He and Recovery Girl are both down at Tokai as we speak. Once I hear from her I will inform all of you on his health." Aizawa saw how two of his students appeared more worried than the rest before he began with classes.

Shinsou was too preoccupied to pay attention to what Aizawa-sensei was speaking about. The empty seat in front of him made his hair stand on end. It was only the second day, what could have possibly happened to the bubbly boy between yesterday and this morning? It seems that Shinsou wasn't the only one unfocused from his studies. Todoroki found himself frowning at the silence coming from behind him. Only a day had passed since he had met the bright boy and his incessant mumbling had already become a normal occurrence.

Aizawa obviously noticed the lack of attention he was getting from some of his students, but he couldn't blame them, he himself wasn't really focusing on the material he was delivering. The worry he felt for the boy was immense and he couldn't begin to explain why. He cares for all his students, don't let his facade fool you, but he hadn't even known the kid long enough for him to truly get a feel for him. The sound of his phone ringing halfway through his lecture made him stop short and whip it out.

"Aizawa." He responded, listening for a moment before he felt all the stress the morning left on his shoulders melt away.

The class noticed the change right away, and with that they too felt theirs dissipate. The phone call went on for a few moments longer before he thanked whoever it was and hung up. The man stood for a moment before he let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding and dropped his head into his hands.

"Class is dismissed for the meantime, go out and get some air." Aizawa muttered, looking up to his class before he too left the room and went down to the teacher's lounge for a much needed cup of coffee.

Many students didn't get up, most of them breaking out into hushed chatter with one another the second their teacher left the room. The worry Shinsou and Todoroki felt all morning still lingered, although not nearly as debilitating. Both of them stood, a few classmates turning to look their way as they left the room together to search out their teacher to ask a few questions. They found the man with his feet kicked up on his desk in the lounge, coffee in hand and Midoriya's student records in the other. Todoroki got the man's attention, waiting for him to put the file down before he asked what happened.

"We still aren't sure where Midoriya sustained such injuries, but he came in this morning about an hour and a half ago and passed out just outside Recovery Girl's office. We rushed him to the hospital and he was immediately taken into surgery. He sustained a heavy blow to his left eye, part of his socket broke and embedded itself into it. He won't be able to see from his left eye anymore. His right leg was broken in multiple places, a shattered femur, Multiple broken ribs, one of which scraped his lung and caused massive internal bleeding. The doctors said that they were afraid that he wasn't going to make it. After about two hours of surgery, they managed to stop the bleeding, stuck rods in his ribs to hold them in place and managed to remove the bone fragments from Midoriya's eye and leg." Aizawa paused, taking in multiple deep breaths.

"He will likely have to go through physical therapy, and he will probably be pulled out of the hero course." The knowledge the man dropped on the two almost crushed them.

"Pulled from the course? But he just got in, how does that seem fair?" Shinsou spoke up, his lips pursed in a tight frown.

"The doctors don't think he will ever fully recover from his injuries, and the school won't want to be responsible for any further injuries he sustains because of the intense training that the hero course will put him through. It isn't a matter of not wanting him in the course, but a matter of principle we have to abide by. We will have to inform his parents about the issues, but I suppose we will have to see the extent of the damage once he wakes up." Aizawa didn't like the drained look the two had on their faces.

The two didn't reply, simply nodding their heads in understanding before they turned and left just as quietly as they had come. Aizawa bit back a groan, hand coming up to rub at the stubble of his chin. He had to go and inform Nedzu about this as well. Today just kept getting worse.

Izuku woke up to the sound of incessant beeping. His right eye slid open, blurry vision slowly clearing as he looked around the white room. The pain he expected to feel was absent, making his brow furrow in confusion. Turning his head slowly, he took notice of a few nurses checking on the multitude of objects that he was connected to before they both turned to him and squeaked in surprise before they pressed a button on the wall. It was as if the entire hospital came alive in that moment. Many more nurses piled in, including some doctors as they rushed about, checking vitals and any signs of relapse in his recovery.

Once they were all satisfied with the results of their scan, many of them left the room, a couple of nurses sticking behind as well as one older doctor. The man had a soft smile on his face that didn't match up with the look in his eye. Izuku immediately felt that something was wrong with this situation. Struggling to sit up, he managed to haul himself up off the cushions behind his head and propped himself up against them, a breath slipping past his lips once he settled down.

"Well Midoriya-san, how are you feeling?" The doctor asked, a chart in his hand, scribbling away at the paper.

"As fine as I can be, I assume." The boy muttered, rubbing at his neck awkwardly.

The doctor hummed, the scribbling pausing as he looked back up, taking in the small boy's form on the bed before he went back to writing on the paper. Izuku felt his eye twitch in agitation. Fighting back the urge to snap at the man, he sucked in a deep breath, ignoring the twinge in his chest from the sudden pain that flared to life. Once the man had finished writing on the paper, he wished Izuku a good rest of his day before he and the nurses detached him from most of the tubes and wires attached to him before they left the room. Once they were out, Izuku swung his legs over the edge of the bed, letting his feet brush the floor.

Placing his feet on the ground, he bit back a scream as his right leg crumpled out from underneath him. His hands found purchase in the bed and stopped his decent before he could tumble all the way down. He found a small change of clothes sitting on the bedside table next to him and he stripped from the itchy hospital robes and threw on the clothes. Spotting some crutches leaning against the wall, he hobbled his way over to them, grabbing them up and making his way to the door. Peering out the small window, he cracked the door open and slipped out of the room. The sight of a kid walking down the hallway on his own, crutches placed under his arms should've raised red flags with the staff he passed, but they didn't really raise much more than an eyebrow before they wished him well and left him to his own devices.

He supposed that they thought he had been discharged. This would be good for him. He made it all the way down to the main floor and out the doors before anyone realized he was gone and by then he was too far away for them to do anything about it. Checking the time, he flinched at how late it was. Class was going to be let back in from lunch soon. He checked his surroundings and let out a sigh of relief, he was still in Musutafu. Spotting the large building, he made his way back to class, everyone he passed by on campus turning their heads to watch as a bandaged covered kid in boring clothing strolled into the building.

Izuku made his way down the hall leading up to his classroom and slid the door open, watching as every head inside swiveled to look at him. Jaws dropped at the sight of a badly bandaged boy stood just outside, panting from overexersion as he made his way up to his seat and promptly fell into it. Nodding his head to Kayama-sensei, he pulled his notebook out of his bag that hung on the side of his desk and began scribbling in the pages. The room was silent. The boy was supposed to be at the hospital, recovering, and here he was sitting in his seat, catching up on the notes that were written on the board. Kayama dismissed herself from class momentarily, going to fetch Aizawa as she slipped out of class. Once the teacher left, both Shinsou and Todoroki turned to face the boy minding his own business.

"What are you doing in class Midoriya? Aizawa-sensei said that you were most likely going to be kept overnight for a few days to keep watch over your health." Todoroki watched as Izuku put his pencil down before he looked up and flashed the boy a smile.

"I felt fine when I woke up and I didn't want to miss more class than I already did. So I decided to come here." Izuku spoke as if it were obvious, tilting his head to the side when all he got was a blank stare in response. "What?"

"Did you get permission from the doctors that you could leave?" Shinsou spoke up, head resting on the palm of his hand.

"Well no, but I can't afford to miss class." Midoriya turned to face him, a frown on his face. "It's not like there's anything wrong with me currently, I feel fine."

"Just because you feel fine, Midoriya, doesn't make it right for you to leave the hospital without proper paperwork being done for you to be released." The voice of his homeroom teacher made his hair stand on end.

"But Aizawa-sensei-!" The boy was cut off when the man's capture weapon wound itself around his mouth.

"I understand your worry for missing class, but I can assure you, anything you miss will be given to you in the form of notes from one of your classmates. Now since I can't seem to get you to stay put, I'm just going to have to leave you with Recovery Girl in her office for the rest of the day." Aizawa made no room for Izuku to argue, so instead of fighting when the man came to escort him there, he simply hung his head and let the man lead him out.

The walk to the infirmary was filled with a stiff silence. Aizawa could see much of himself in the boy if he were to be honest with himself. The boy's drive was something he remembers he had in excess during his schooling days. A small smile formed on his face as he glanced to the side to see Midoriya with a pout on his face. The bandage covering his eye erased any smile he had once his eyes fell on the material.

Knocking on the office door, he waited for the woman to come out to see who it was. The surprised look on her face when she realized that Aizawa was escorting the boy from this morning was amusing to the man.

"Apparently, Problem Child here found it in himself to leave the hospital and make his way back to class. Kayama came to find me in the lounge and had me escort him back to you so you could keep an eye on him." Aizawa fought back the snort that bubbled up from his chest at the shameful look on Midoriya's face at the nickname he dubbed him as.

"I understand, thank you for taking him here Aizawa-san, you can head back to finish what you were doing." The older woman let him leave, waving a hand dismissively as she grabbed Izuku by the wrist and pulled him into the clinic.

With a nod of his head Aizawa left the two alone, letting the woman haul the boy up and into a cot for him to lie down on. She handed the boy a few gummy bears before she placed a kiss to his forehead, watching as some of the tenseness of his shoulders relaxed ever so slightly. Leaving the boy to snack on the treat, she went to fetch him something to drink and perhaps something to eat as well. Izuku stayed put, munching on the gummies in his hand as he stared up at nothing. Pain he didn't know he felt melted away once Recovery Girl used her quirk on him, leaving him feeling a lot sleepier than he thought he was. When the older woman came back into the room, a bottle of water and some pudding in hand, she smiled softly at the boy sleeping peacefully under the covers of the cot.


End file.
